PLoS Medicine, Journal of Infectious Diseases Articles on HIV/AIDS, Global Health Issues; Uncommon HIV Subtypes in Minnesota; 2005 Gates Award for Global Health
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PLoS Medicine: The May 31 issue of the journal includes several articles and studies on HIV/AIDS and other global health issues, including "HIV Epidemiology in Africa: Weak Variables and Tendentiousness Generate Wobbly Conclusions," "The Development of Vaginal Microbicides for the Prevention of HIV Transmission," "Association Between Injections and HIV Incidence" and "Taking More Than a Fair Share? The Migration of Health Professionals From Poor to Rich Countries" (PLoS Medicine, 5/31).
- "HIV-1 Subtype Diversity in Minnesota," Journal of Infectious Diseases: Tracy Sides and colleagues at the Minnesota Department of Health Hennepin County Medical Center HIV program identified 83 HIV-positive people who have HIV subtypes that are not common in the United States. Identifying viral subtypes could have implications for vaccine development, diagnostic HIV testing, and monitoring treatment and progression (Sides et al., JID, 6/15). In an accompanying editorial, Diane Bennett of CDC says the results "suggest that it may be time to consider implementing HIV subtype surveillance in states with larger immigrant populations and throughout the United States" (Bennett, JID, 6/15).
- "Drug To Block Mother-To-Child HIV Transmission Induces Resistance More Often Than Previously Thought," Journal of Infectious Diseases: Three studies in the July 1 issue show that drug resistance associated with single-dose nevirapine -- which is used to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission -- might be "substantially higher" than previously thought, particularly among patients infected with HIV subtype C, according to a JID release. Two studies -- one study led by Jeffrey Johnson of CDC and another study led by Susan Eshleman of Johns Hopkins University -- assessed resistance to nevirapine using laboratory tests more sensitive than standard genotype assays. A third study, also led by Eshleman, assessed how the rate of nevirapine resistance differs in patients infected with various subtypes (JID release, 6/1).
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2005 Gates Award for Global Health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The African Medical and Research Foundation has received the $1 million award for their efforts over nearly 50 years to improve health in Africa's poor communities, build up local health infrastructure and help guide others. The award is administered by the Global Health Council and was presented Thursday by Bill Gates, Sr., at the council's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. (AMREF release, 6/2).